An afternoon with Pascale Helyar-Moray, founder of StyleRocks

Here at Queen Bee we come into contact with the most fascinating women. One such is Pascale Helyar-Moray, founder of bespoke online jewellery company, StyleRocks.

So how did a marketing manager in London working for blue chip international financial institutions found an online jewellery business based in Australia? It seems an unlikely path for someone with a Masters of Commerce, Marketing, Finance from the University of Sydney and a 15+ year career in financial services with industry leaders like JP Morgan Asset Management.

5 years ago in London when 8 months pregnant with twins, Pascale’s husband offered to buy her some jewellery to celebrate their babies’ arrival. As it was a bit difficult to traipse around the shops, Pascale looked online for her perfect ‘push present’. Unfortunately, there was always something not quite right – the wrong metal, the wrong setting, the wrong coloured stone.

After the birth of the twins, the family moved back to Sydney, where Pascale came across the Shoes of Prey website and realised she could do the same thing with jewellery. She mentioned this to a friend who is a wholesale jewellery manufacturer and he offered to help her set up the business.

No start up is without its obstacles. Undeterred by her frustration with banks, almost always pitching to a room full of men, Pascale looked to non-traditional funding sources to seed her dream start-up. After it didn’t work out with one web company, she came into contact with a venture technology business through her involvement with the MEGA startup pre-accelerator program.

Both the jewellery industry and technology industries are very male-dominated which brings its own challenges. Pascale cherishes her support network of close female entrepreneur friends who understand and was lucky to attend the Women in Focus Silicon Valley study tour in 2013 with her sisterhood.

The only customisable online fine jewellery store, StyleRocks has been featured in the likes of Vogue, InStyle and marie claire.

Here, Pascale is wearing her Seraphine dress from Queen Bee styled with StyleRocks jewellery, of course. Jewellery and fashion are just made for each other - so stay tuned for a special treat coming soon.